Rich Daly
About the Author
Rich Daly is senior editor, policy affairs with HFMA, based in Alabama. His healthcare policy and finance reporting experience includes staff writer positions with Modern Healthcare and Congressional Quarterly (both focused on healthcare regulatory and legislative developments); editor-in-chief of 340B Report (the only news outlet focused on daily policy, legal, and business developments in the 340B program); and serving as a content director for Sg2/Vizient Inc (producing reports on financial pain points and solutions for health systems). He previously covered daily news for HFMA and wrote features for Healthcare Financial Management magazine, where his recognitions included the Stephen Barr Award (the only individual achievement award) from the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
Latest Work
FastFinance: Union trends at hospitals; 2026 changes to 340B
HFMA’s FastFinance newsletter is now a podcast. Host Rich Daly discusses the most current and relevant healthcare news, delivered in an easily digestible format. Union activity is expected to accelerate at hospitals in 2026. But financial pressures are leading some organizations to push back. Also, this week’s Weird Number: 24%. That’s the share of providers…
Hospital labor trends in 2025 show slower hiring but continued workforce growth
High profile layoffs were dwarfed by new hires in 2025 at hospitals, as organizations positioned for coming turmoil. Hospitals added 163,000 positions in 2025 to reach 5,804,200 positions, seasonally adjusted, by December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Hospital hiring averaged 13,600 personnel each month. That hiring pace was the fastest among various…
340B program changes in 2026 test compliance, cash flow and margins
Beyond a high-profile legal battle over a rebate pilot, a range of changes are poised to hit the 340B program in 2026, say policy watchers. The latest development came Jan. 15 when Eli Lilly expanded its requirements for covered entities to submit claims-level data for its own pharmacies, in addition to previously requiring that data…
States advance hospital price caps
Three states enacted hospital price caps in 2025 and more could act this year. The new state laws varied widely but all targeted some type of limit on hospital prices. Indiana The highest profile new law came in Indiana. That law (HB1004) went into effect in July 2025 and imposes price controls and additional price…
Some states to focus on rural hospital solvency
Some of the states that recently received a share of $50 billion in federal rural health funding explicitly aim to use some of it to bolster the finances of struggling rural hospitals. The funding comes through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), which intended to help rural healthcare providers succeed amid the projected cutbacks in…
FastFinance: Texas sues Epic; 340B lawsuit update
HFMA’s FastFinance newsletter is now a podcast. Host Rich Daly discusses the most current and relevant healthcare news, delivered in an easily digestible format. A list of alleged financial harms against hospitals are at the heart of Texas’ anticompetitive lawsuit again EHR vendor Epic. Learn why its details are required reading. Also, this week’s Weird…
Epic lawsuit filed by Texas aims to help health system finances
A range of alleged financial damages against hospitals and health systems underpins the recent anti-competitive lawsuit by Texas against dominant electronic health record (EHR) system vendor Epic. Although not mentioned in a press release accompanying the Dec. 10 lawsuit against Epic, the Texas attorney general’s filing details a range of financial and other harms the…
Labor outsourcing shifts to non-clinical roles
Outsourcing at hospitals and health systems has shifted from a focus on clinical roles a couple years ago to non-clinical jobs, according to a survey-based tracker of financial trends. The recently released 2025 Health System Performance Outlook by Kaufman Hall identified a range of labor and other trends at those organizations. Its findings were based…
Q&A: One system’s approach to presumptive charity care
A national health system, Trinity Health, moved in recent years to adopt presumptive charity care to assist their patients. The approach brought both costs and benefits and it required changes over time. Such initiatives were recently recommended to finance leaders by the American Hospital Association. FastFinance recently discussed the health system’s approach to data-driven upfront…
FastFinance: Charity screening; 340B lawsuit
HFMA’s FastFinance newsletter is now a podcast. Host Rich Daly discusses the most current and relevant healthcare news, delivered in an easily digestible format. Our main story: As states are increasingly requiring pre-screening patients for charity care, a recent industry outreach effort gauged hospital interest and approaches. Also, this week’s Weird Number: 500,000. That’s how…